New Prop

Got a hot rumour from a source inside the club, or just something you heard down the pub? Then what are you waiting for, post it on The Rumour Mill.
nathan_rugby
Posts: 4166
Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 9:12 pm

Re: New Prop

Post by nathan_rugby »

Blackpool_Pie wrote: Thu Feb 18, 2021 10:05 am Singleton came in and was outstanding. Really made a difference with his go forward and energy. Him and Bullock made a great pairing when starting.

When you look through the list of props on our books we do seem a little short of experience.

Singleton
Bullock
Clubb
Partington
Byrne
Havard
Clarke
Kilner
An extra body with more experience is 100% needed. There is no doubting that Singleton and Bullock proved to be more than capable strting props, but the drop-off of experience, intensity, meters is great when they get subbed. If one or both of them got injured we would be screwed.

When you factor in Clubbs injury record, limited minutes and impact, the recruitment of an additional prop with experience is huge.

Not saying that Partington, Havard etc don't have a part to play because they are doing great and have so much potential, but our two stumbling blocks for me last year were meters made from the props and kicking game. Since we have lost Flower and Burgess (didn't really play), we are looking very light.
Bomhead - "Lockers to prop."
nathan_rugby
Posts: 4166
Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 9:12 pm

Re: New Prop

Post by nathan_rugby »

jao711 wrote: Thu Feb 18, 2021 11:06 am With Bullock and Singleton up front the pack is more mobile.It had got a bit one paced.Bateman at loose and Farrelland Partington plus a choice from the bench or rotation there is no panic.
Why would you play Bateman at 13?

Of the 170 senior games he has played at Wigan and Canberra, the majority have been at second row.

I get he has been given the 13 shirt, but hopefully that is more about sentiment than intent. Bateman will do well at 13, he will run hard and tackle hard but he won't be anywhere near as effective than he would at second row and he 100% will not show anything close to the link up play/ball skills that lockers did.
Bomhead - "Lockers to prop."
Charriots Offiah
Posts: 4127
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 1:14 pm

Re: New Prop

Post by Charriots Offiah »

Blackpool_Pie wrote: Thu Feb 18, 2021 10:05 am Singleton came in and was outstanding. Really made a difference with his go forward and energy. Him and Bullock made a great pairing when starting.

When you look through the list of props on our books we do seem a little short of experience.

Singleton
Bullock
Clubb
Partington
Byrne
Havard
Clarke
Kilner
There is only one way to gain experience. Having said that I would also like us to sign another prop, but they have got to be better than what we have currently got otherwise it becomes a numbers game.
Nezza Faz
Posts: 1932
Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2011 10:05 pm

Re: New Prop

Post by Nezza Faz »

nathan_rugby wrote: Thu Feb 18, 2021 1:53 pm
jao711 wrote: Thu Feb 18, 2021 11:06 am With Bullock and Singleton up front the pack is more mobile.It had got a bit one paced.Bateman at loose and Farrelland Partington plus a choice from the bench or rotation there is no panic.
Why would you play Bateman at 13?

Of the 170 senior games he has played at Wigan and Canberra, the majority have been at second row.

I get he has been given the 13 shirt, but hopefully that is more about sentiment than intent. Bateman will do well at 13, he will run hard and tackle hard but he won't be anywhere near as effective than he would at second row and he 100% will not show anything close to the link up play/ball skills that lockers did.
Indeed, why shift arguably one of the best second rows playing anywhere in the world to a position he's not naturally equipped to play in ? We know what he gives and what he offers the team playing in his accustomed position, why jeopardize and water down that potential, maybe just so someone else can be accommodated into a certain position. It most probably would lessen his threat running out wide in attack and stick him in uncompromised situations in defence ?
Levrier
Posts: 241
Joined: Sun Jun 11, 2017 2:23 pm

Re: New Prop

Post by Levrier »

We do have plenty of options for 13 without Bateman playing there. I thought that Partington looked useful as the extra middle last season and Smithies certainly can fill in there.
Smithy82
Posts: 73
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2020 9:38 pm

Re: New Prop

Post by Smithy82 »

Morgan Smithies needs to be at 13
nathan_rugby
Posts: 4166
Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 9:12 pm

Re: New Prop

Post by nathan_rugby »

Smithy82 wrote: Sat Feb 20, 2021 11:27 am Morgan Smithies needs to be at 13
Partington was the best 13 we had last year after Lockers. Worked well utilising him as an extra prop.

Smithies tailed off towards the end of the season. His defence is second to none but he started giving away too many penalties. He doesn’t offer much in attack though.
Bomhead - "Lockers to prop."
Levrier
Posts: 241
Joined: Sun Jun 11, 2017 2:23 pm

Re: New Prop

Post by Levrier »

nathan_rugby wrote: Sat Feb 20, 2021 12:23 pm
Smithy82 wrote: Sat Feb 20, 2021 11:27 am Morgan Smithies needs to be at 13
Partington was the best 13 we had last year after Lockers. Worked well utilising him as an extra prop.

Smithies tailed off towards the end of the season. His defence is second to none but he started giving away too many penalties. He doesn’t offer much in attack though.
I totally agree. I think that Smithies needs to be a plan B player and offer something different going forward. His relative lack of size makes him less suitable to the extra middle role than Partington but his defence is second to none. I would like to see him running different lines and changing the point of attack. Smithies is a slippery customer like Bateman but constantly running him on his own against the set defence down the middle seems a waste. He has such a good engine that he could be used more in combination off other forwards.
Charriots Offiah
Posts: 4127
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 1:14 pm

Re: New Prop

Post by Charriots Offiah »

Levrier wrote: Sat Feb 20, 2021 12:55 pm
nathan_rugby wrote: Sat Feb 20, 2021 12:23 pm
Smithy82 wrote: Sat Feb 20, 2021 11:27 am Morgan Smithies needs to be at 13
Partington was the best 13 we had last year after Lockers. Worked well utilising him as an extra prop.

Smithies tailed off towards the end of the season. His defence is second to none but he started giving away too many penalties. He doesn’t offer much in attack though.
I totally agree. I think that Smithies needs to be a plan B player and offer something different going forward. His relative lack of size makes him less suitable to the extra middle role than Partington but his defence is second to none. I would like to see him running different lines and changing the point of attack. Smithies is a slippery customer like Bateman but constantly running him on his own against the set defence down the middle seems a waste. He has such a good engine that he could be used more in combination off other forwards.
Smithies is bigger than Partington!
Charriots Offiah
Posts: 4127
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 1:14 pm

Re: New Prop

Post by Charriots Offiah »

nathan_rugby wrote: Sat Feb 20, 2021 12:23 pm
Smithy82 wrote: Sat Feb 20, 2021 11:27 am Morgan Smithies needs to be at 13
Partington was the best 13 we had last year after Lockers. Worked well utilising him as an extra prop.

Smithies tailed off towards the end of the season. His defence is second to none but he started giving away too many penalties. He doesn’t offer much in attack though.
Partington and Smithies gave away the same number of penalties last season. Neither player had a try assist. Oli scored one try and Morgan didn't get over the whitewash. Partington's average carry was 6.64m whilst Smithies was 6.13m. Number of tackles completed was in Smithies favour 512 to 462, with Smithies success rate being 97.47% against Partington's 92.21%. Oli made two clean breaks but did not have one offload, Morgan did not make any clean breaks but had three offloads. Partington made 151 carries for a total gain of 1003 metres and made only one error. Smithies made 144 carries for a total gain of 883 metres and made five errors. Both are young players 22 and 20 respectively and they have a lot of improvement in them yet.
Post Reply